Miners' pay cut to save jobs

MINERS will be forced to take annual leave, and 100 will cop a pay cut, as BMA shuts down a mine to avoid cutting permanent staff.

The mining giant yesterday began telling staff from its Norwich Park Mine near Dysart that the site would be “partially shut down” from June 10, and when production returns, about a quarter of the 400-strong workforce will move from a seven-day roster to five days a week.

The Anglo Coal-owned Moranbah North Mine changed its workers' rosters earlier this year in an effort to stave off a staff cull.

For those 100 miners, a cut in pay is inevitable but a BMA spokesperson said it was aimed at keeping staff for the long run.

“This is a mitigation to avoid any employee or contractor reduction,” the spokesperson said.

“Our industry is facing difficult market conditions and BMA is not immune from the impacts.

“There will be a percentage of employees who will take leave during those four weeks and at this stage it's not anticipated for this to occur at any other mines.”

The spokesperson said the majority of workers were told yesterday, but more would learn the news over coming days.

The Daily Mercury understands BMA's shutdown was driven by a slump in coal sales over the June/July period.

CFMEU's district vice-president Steve Pierce was at Dysart yesterday evening, about to enter a public meeting held by BMA at 6pm for affected workers.

Mr Pierce said the information was still vague, but the company had not, so far, worked closely with the union.

“I think it's difficult to see they're doing the right thing at this point,” he said.

“It'll depend on what will happen after this month.

“We don't know if we'll be having this discussion again in a week, six weeks or six months.”